WHAT: African Union Innovation Festival (AU InnoFest’25

Held under the theme “Repositioning the African Union for Youth-Centered Innovation Leadership,” the festival will bring together innovators, policymakers, private sector leaders, partners, and youth representatives to celebrate, connect, and scale innovation across Africa. The event aims to highlight how homegrown innovation can drive sustainable development, regional integration, and economic transformation in line with Agenda 2063.

WHEN: 22–24 October 2025

WHERE: African Union Headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

WHO: Women, Gender and Youth Directorate (WGYD) in partnership with GIZ African Union

Background

The African Union (AU) has consistently positioned innovation as a catalytic force for realizing Agenda 2063, the continent’s blueprint for inclusive and sustainable development. This commitment is reflected in strategic frameworks such as the Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa (2020–2030), the AU Data Policy Framework, the Continental AI Strategy, and the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA-2024). Flagship initiatives like the One Million Next Level (1MNL) Initiative further demonstrate the AU’s intent to leverage innovation to empower young Africans to drive change through education, employment, entrepreneurship, engagement, health and wellbeing.

Specifically, the Women, Gender and Youth Directorate currently implements several innovation initiatives as well as initiatives for training and capacity building for young professionals, including:

• The AU Digital and Innovation Fellowship

Eighteen (18) Tech Fellows from 10 African countries are deployed across 11 AU Commission departments and AU organs. The resident fellows identify operational and data challenges within their host units and co-create tailored, sustainable digital solutions. The second cohort of the fellowship will graduate in October 2025.

• The AU Innovation Lab, which was established to foster collaboration, build functional ecosystems and strengthen institutional innovation capacity.
• The AU Civic Tech Fund 2.0, where 15 innovators from across the continent have received financial and technical support for innovations that foster citizen participation in policy processes.
• AU Go Gal, a NextGen challenge for budding women innovators whose first cohort of 20 young women are currently receiving technical support, while the top ten finalists will receive seed funding.

Media Contacts: 

For further information, please contact: 

Mr. Mohamed Kimbugwe | Digital Governance and Innovation Advisor, Women, Gender and Youth Directorate | African Union Commission | E-mail: Kimbugwem@AfricaUnion.org

Mr. Natan Addisu Tafese | Innovation Associate, Women, Gender and Youth Directorate | African Union Commission | E-mail: NatanA@AfricaUnion.org

Media contact

Noel John Kenyi | Information and Communication Directorate | African Union Commission | E-mail kenyiN@africanunion.org